Conbini Cult

Conbini Cult Pod

Living in another country sure can be interesting. Is being foreigners in Japan our whole personality? I guess so. Stick around for silly stories (from us and you, the listeners) about work, dating, language learning, embarrassing moments, current events, and deep dives on Japan-related topics we’re curious to learn more about.

  1. 3d ago

    Fluency in Japanese with Ebonihongo | Conbini Cult Episode 103

    Today we’ll chat with Eboni, an Atlanta gal living in Yokohama, about her journey to becoming fluent in Japanese, entering the Japanese corporate world, social media, becoming a JAL ambassador and more! Eboni’s socials - let’s get her to 10k on insta!  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ebonihongo/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@ebonihongo.jp YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ebonihongo Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 人間関係 ningen kankei - human relations 正社員 seishain - permanent employee  年末年始 nenmatsu nenshi - end of year holidays 丼 donburi - rice bowl どんぐり donguri - acorn  店内 tennai - dine-in 店員 ten’in - shop staff お持ち帰り omochikaeri - to go (food but sometimes used in a derogatory way to take a person home) マジで majide - really? Seriously? 頑張って ganbatte - do your best! Good luck Time stamps 00:00 background + study abroad 03:33 entering the work force 18:01 what doors language has opened 23:28 JLPT 30:26 language mistakes 33:45 achieving fluency 37:08 social media 40:36 living in Yokohama 44:41 long-term plans & advice

    49 min

  2. Jun 21

    Heat Stroke & Summer Dangers in Japan | Conbini Cult Episode 102 | Conbini Cult Episode 102

    When people complain about the heat and humidity during Japan’s long summers, it really is that big of a deal. Every year new record high temperatures are reached, and fatal heat strokes (for people of all ages) are only increasing. On top of that, bear sightings and attacks are on the rise, and giant hornet populations are increasing too. While there are so many fun activities during the summer, there are also plenty of health risks and taking precaution is never a bad thing. Get that UV protection and stay hydrated, y’all.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 酷暑日 kokushobi - cruelly hot day (over 40 C) 104 F 夏日 natsubi - summer day (25 C +) 77 F 真夏日 manatsubi - midsummer day (30 C +) 86 F 猛暑日 moushobi - extremely hot day (35 C +) 95 F References/sources: Fatal heat stroke at Hirakata Park: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20190730/p2a/00m/0na/008000c 39 students in Kanagawa rushed to hospital for heat stroke: https://www.city.ebina.kanagawa.jp/koho/1007115/press/1016291/1016740/1016811.html 2nd grader in Hokkaido passes away from heatstroke: https://www.asahi.com/sp/articles/ASR8R2QPVR8QIIPE016.html What happens to the body in extreme temperatures: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/07/23/1189506023/heres-what-happens-to-the-body-in-extreme-temperatures-and-how-heat-becomes-dead Heat stroke: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20353581 Japan weather agency adopts 'cruelly hot day' as new term for temps upwards of 40 C: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260417/p2a/00m/0na/008000c Japan’s schools battle to keep kids cool, with or without AC: https://features.japantimes.co.jp/extreme-heat-education-cooling/ Find a swimming pool in Japan: https://blog.gaijinpot.com/urban-oasis-how-to-enjoy-a-swimming-pool-in-japan/ Inmate at Nagoya Prison dies of heatstroke in cell with no air-conditioning: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20180726/p2a/00m/0na/016000c Highest temps: https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h02498/ https://featured.japan-forward.com/japan2earth/2024/01/5494/ 10-year trend: Many heatstroke deaths occur in early summer: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15794779 Japan begins annual heatstroke alerts: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/3965/ Japan saw record number treated for heatstroke in hottest-ever summer: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/02/japan/science-health/japan-record-heat-stroke-2025/ Why Central AC Isn't Common in Japan's Hot Summers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TMPxyCFFOI Nine of Japan’s 10 regional power utilities to raise bills in February: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/30/electricity-bills-rise-february/ Average electricity bills: https://x-house.co.jp/en/column/sharehouse/xross-2085/ Why bears are getting worryingly comfortable in Japan's urban areas: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/4892/  4 injured in bear attacks in northeast Japan, all conscious: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260602/p2g/00m/0bu/021000c Sharp increase in hornet attacks in Japan linked to climate change: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15037178 Time stamps 00:00 take summer seriously/word of the day 05:14 hottest cities in Japan 10:44 heatstroke stats 13:14 heat exhaustion vs stroke 16:32 AC situation in schools 27:32 why Japan’s humidity is so bad 33:33 ventilation vs insulation 37:01 electricity bills 39:50 bears, hornets and snakes oh my 55:27 survival tips for summer

    1h 10m

  3. Jun 14

    IVF, motherhood, politics & feminism in Japan with Sachiko Ishikawa | Conbini Cult Episode 101

    This week we chat with special guest Sachiko Ishikawa about IVF, motherhood, social issues and politics in Japan! How is the government supporting families and what is still lacking? How hard is it getting your child into daycare in Tokyo?! Let’s chat all this and more.  Find Sachiko here: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ishikawa_sachi?_r=1&_t=ZS-97CS2QO2tMq Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ishikawa_sachi?igsh=MTlrNXFvaXFjNjI1Yg== Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 子育て kosodate - child rearing  研修 kenshuu - training (could be for something work-related) 区役所 kuyakusho - ward office  担当 tantou - person in charge/responsible 認可 ninka - license, permission  認可外 ninkagai - unlicensed daycare 認可外保育所 ninkagaihoikusho 一時預かり ichijiazukari - temporary custody (daycare in this case) 児童館 jidoukan - children’s house, child welfare facility 細かい komakai - minor, trivial, nitpicky  Time stamps 00:00 background, mixed cultures  11:56 interest in social issues and politics 21:37 IVF process 31:16 maternity experience  47:21 family support 56:12 daycare 1:06:06 bicycle hatred 1:13:44 a positive news story to end on

    1h 16m

  4. Jun 7

    The Most Over and Underrated Anime with Aundre & Rosa | Conbini Cult Episode 100

    To celebrate 100 episodes, let’s talk overrated and underrated anime. Because my own repertoire is still growing, I decided to bring a couple experts on. Thanks Aundre and Rosa for joining!  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms The RDC skit about JJK that Aundre mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFjwzn71NKs Time stamps 00:00 hi  03:29 overrated 29:02 underrated 49:28 toxic fandoms 1:00:19 best fandom

    1h 8m

  5. May 31

    7 Ways to get Cursed in Japan | Conbini Cult Episode 99

    A poem that causes tragic accidents if read aloud, a severed head flying across the country, and a decades long baseball losing streak?! Let’s get into some silly and spooky curses that could befall upon you in Japan if you’re not careful.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 心霊スポット shinrei supotto 神隠し kamikakushi - mysterious disappearance, spirited away  首塚 kubizuka - burial mound for severed heads References/sources: https://www.mlb.com/news/the-japanese-team-cursed-by-colonel-sanders They won the series again in 2023 https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20231106/p2a/00m/0na/014000c After life of curses, miracles, Colonel Sanders statue laid to rest https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15204594 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/japans-inunaki-village-the-place-from-where-no-one-has-ever-returned/articleshow/118607780.cms https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/taira-no-masakados-grave https://www.tokyoweekender.com/art_and_culture/history/tokyo-was-built-atop-the-head-of-a-decapitated-god/ https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/Tomino%27s_Hell https://www.reddit.com/r/HorrorReviewed/comments/7za58n/tominos_hell_by_yomota_inuhiko_1919_poem/ Time stamps 00:00 hi 01:23 Colonel Sanders 07:49 Inunaki Tunnel 13:04 cursed poem 17:54 Taira no Masakado's Grave  23:06 cursed Kleenex commercial 24:15 cursed island in Fukui  28:39 Mount Fuji curse

    34 min

  6. May 24

    Falsely Convicted in Japan: Chris Payne’s Fight for Justice | Conbini Cult Episode 98

    Chris Payne is a US citizen who has been in Japan since 2013. He was falsely convicted of attacking a woman in Chiba in July 2018 and has been held in solitary confinement for 4.5 years. The whole crux of the investigation falls on a manipulated DNA analysis, but meanwhile, Chris has never matched the description of the attacker, and his alibi was never properly investigated. The Tokyo High Court overturned his conviction in December 2025, but Chris still remains in solitary confinement in the detention center where he is being held until a retrial is scheduled in Chiba, and his requests for bail have been denied at least 11 times. His case is a stark example of Japan’s system of “hostage justice” where the suspect is guilty until proven innocent, and all-powerful prosecutors hold all the cards.  Please note: we do not place the blame on the victim, and neither does Chris. He is unfortunately being made a scapegoat while the real attacker is still out there, possibly hurting more people in the meantime.  HOW TO SUPPORT CHRIS - sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/demand-due-process-for-christopher-payne-in-japan AND SPREAD THE WORD! Contact your representatives in the US and Japan to put pressure on the courts.  Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 人質司法 hito jichi shiho - hostage justice 事件 - jiken - incident 矛盾 mujun - contradiction, inconsistency  刑務所 keimusho - prison 拘置所 kouchisho - detention center  References/sources: Innocence Project Japan: https://innocenceprojectjapan.org/en/chris-case Gavin Blair article: https://www.fccj.or.jp/number-1-shimbun-article/miscarriage-justice FCCJ conference from March 2026:  https://www.youtube.com/live/9eB2cMUmh7g?si=-hvv1x3gPmin_j0X CBS Chicago story: https://youtu.be/Frd9N4DzvOc The petition - PLEASE SIGN: https://www.change.org/p/demand-due-process-for-christopher-payne-in-japan Keiko Aoki: https://forejustice.org/db/Aoki--Keiko-.html https://www.nichibenren.or.jp/en/document/statements/160810.html https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14573661 Shoji Maekawa:  https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15914748 https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/04/29/japan/crime-legal/acquitted-man-seeks-state-compensation/#:~:text=Get%20full%20access%20for%2090%25 Time stamps 00:00 hi/disclaimer/who is Chris? 03:25 the attack, the arrest, inconclusive DNA 11:25 the conviction 12:27 DNA problems, overturned conviction 14:41 health issues 15:43 call with advocacy team members 1:03:49 media coverage 1:05:29 hostage justice & powerful prosecutors 1:12:35 three recent exonerations 1:20:26 conclusion

    1h 22m

  7. May 17

    15 Years in Japan with sandyinjapannn | Conbini Cult Episode 97

    Let’s chat with Sandy, who’s been living in Japan for 15 years, about getting started on JET, studying Japanese, becoming a permanent resident, getting diagnosed with AuDHD as an adult, and more!  You can find Sandy here: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandyinjapannn https://www.instagram.com/sandyinjapannn/ Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms Words mentioned/useful words: 専門学校 senmon gakko - trade school 養成所 youseijo - training school  無性 musei - asexual  自閉症 jiheisho - autism 内科 naika - internal medicine Time stamps 00:00 background, JET program 03:25 voice acting 04:40 Japanese language study 08:13 why move from Kobe to Tokyo? 14:01 PR (permanent residency) 19:29 getting diagnosed as AuDHD in Japan/mental health 33:29 lasik, SMILE, ICL 39:39 butsukari otoko, drones & other rants 50:47 advice if you want to move to Japan

    52 min

  8. May 13

    Manga creators that’ve been arrested | Conbini Cult Episode 96

    The world of manga, like any other entertainment industry, is full of the good, the bad, and the bizarre, and has its fair share of creeps. Let’s do a little dive into some recent cases where mangaka have been arrested, and sometimes convicted or fined. It’s not ALWAYS what you think. Got questions or want to share your story? Send us an email at conbinicultpod@gmail.com Host: Frankie - @franklinthewoman on all platforms References/sources: After pleading guilty to tax evasion and eating a $70,000 fine, the Apothecary Diaries manga's Nekokurage confirms she will remain the artist on the hit series https://www.gamesradar.com/comics/after-pleading-guilty-to-tax-evasion-apothecary-diaries-artist-nekokurage-confirms-that-she-will-remain-the-artist-on-the-hit-manga/ https://x.com/nekokurage_/status/1774734767893942341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1774734767893942341%7Ctwgr%5Eeafb24737d65101611edf88a8e188097ac1cbd59%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itmedia.co.jp%2Fnews%2Farticles%2F2407%2F24%2Fnews158.html Controversial artist Rokudenashiko found guilty on obscenity charge https://soranews24.com/2016/05/11/controversial-artist-rokudenashiko-found-guilty-on-obscenity-charge/ Manga creator admits to groping 14-year-old girl; asks for suspended sentence https://japantoday.com/category/crime/manga-creator-admits-to-groping-14-year-old-girl-asks-for-suspended-sentence A recent s*x crime scandal could (and should) cause true reform in the manga industry https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/recent-sex-crime-scandal-could-120059835.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALiFqOYw_bGrdHYAP-EJ8FZ9dY02Ri48csLRxpz7znS4JRQkxe2mtRcEb7fJiMM34iQzwh4rdLK3K1laQjScMr5qBw4BgM1lqrfoevatLBFgB9kMLYavs1VyFis2tD0nd8CsRDV6xQi_l9eNKYFlIrG8_jDghbRG-tgnh0fmmG7v Act-Age Is Canceled https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/act-age-is-canceled Rurouni Kenshin Creator Nobuhiro Watsuki Charged With CP Possession https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-21/rurouni-kenshin-creator-nobuhiro-watsuki-charged-with-child-pornography-possession/.124308 Convicted P*dophile Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin Returns to Jump SQ In June https://www.animeherald.com/2018/04/23/convicted-pedophile-nobuhiro-watsukis-rurouni-kenshin-returns-to-jump-sq-in-june/ https://blog.jlist.com/news/vice-declares-japanese-manga-industry-full-of-pedophiles/ Hirohiko Araki’s Rebel Against ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ Author Isn’t the Same as Tite Kubo’s https://fandomwire.com/hirohiko-arakis-rebel-against-rurouni-kenshin-author-isnt-the-same-as-tite-kubos/ Big manga artists pull their works from major publisher after s*xual abuse scandal https://www.polygon.com/shogakukan-yamamoto-scandal-manga-one-sexual-assault-minor/ https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2002-08-07/mitsutoshi-shimabukuro-arrested https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2002-11-01/mangaka-convicted-and-sentenced-for-schoolgirl-sex-romp https://jojowiki.com/JOJO_magazine_2026_SPRING Japan bans possession of CP (2014) https://www.ntv.co.jp/englishnews/society/japan-bans-possession-of-child-pornography/ Time stamps 00:00 intro/disclaimer 03:09 Apothecary Diaries tax incident 07:37 the coochie kayak 14:44 Act Age - TW  20:50 Rurouni Kenshin - TW 23:48 other magaka taking a stand - TW 27:40 Toriko - TW 28:42 final thoughts

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Living in another country sure can be interesting. Is being foreigners in Japan our whole personality? I guess so. Stick around for silly stories (from us and you, the listeners) about work, dating, language learning, embarrassing moments, current events, and deep dives on Japan-related topics we’re curious to learn more about.

Information

  • Creator
    Conbini Cult Pod
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    105
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Conbini Cult Pod
  • Show Website
    Conbini Cult

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